Various procedures have been employed to recover coupled alkali metal solution-polymerized resinous copolymers, to obtain copolymers which are clear, colorless, and haze-free for use in bottles and the like. One particularly useful method of recovering the coupled polymers from hydrocarbon solution has employed treatment with carbon dioxide and water. However, a disadvantage resulting therefrom has been the necessity to fractionate the solvent thereafter to remove the water and carbon dioxide, so as to permit recycle of the solvent to polymerization in a clean condition free of initiator terminating components.
Improvements in recovery procedures and methods are needed, particularly to find methods to eliminate the difficult-to-handle carbon dioxide which mixes poorly with polymer and cement. Of course, it is essential to obtain the resinous polymers as haze-free, clear, colorless, and impact-resistant.
High clarity is exceedingly desirable, yet while maintaining impact-resistant characteristics of the resinous polymer. To produce a colorless, clear, haze-free product, yet maintain the other desirable physical properties, has indeed been a problem.